"Was I… too late?"
As Kyojuro Rengoku stepped into the village, the sight before him was drenched in blood and scattered with severed limbs. His heart grew heavier with every step.
He raised his hand and beckoned.
A crow circling overhead descended and landed beside him.
"Inform the Demon Slayer Corps. Send members of the Kakushi to this location."
Rengoku spoke calmly to the Kasugai Crow.
The crow cawed twice in acknowledgment before flying off into the distance.
After it left, Rengoku began searching through the village for survivors.
It did not take long before he heard the faint sound of someone sobbing.
Following the sound, he soon discovered Chiba Yang, kneeling on the ground in front of the scattered remains of his mother.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry… Mother…"
Rengoku placed a hand gently on the boy's shoulder.
"Young man… let them be laid to rest first."
His voice was heavy with sorrow.
Rengoku felt deeply troubled as well. His personal creed had always been to protect the weak, and he had spent his entire life following that principle. After becoming a Hashira, that conviction had only grown stronger.
Now, an entire village had been slaughtered by demons.
The weight of that reality pressed heavily upon his heart.
Chiba Yang knew someone had approached him, yet he did not move.
His mind was clouded with confusion. He did not know what he should do next.
Rengoku's words reminded him of the most important thing at that moment.
He had to bury his mother.
"If it is too painful for you, I can help bury her," Rengoku offered softly.
He could easily understand the boy's grief.
"Thank you… but that won't be necessary."
Chiba Yang wiped away his tears and slowly stood up.
The moment his eyes fell upon the tragic scene again, they reddened with fresh sorrow. The hatred in his heart toward the monster that had caused all of this burned even more fiercely.
Still, he forced himself to endure the pain.
With hollow eyes, he gathered his mother's scattered remains and carefully placed them together.
Afterward, he found a hoe and began digging a grave.
Rengoku watched Chiba Yang's actions with quiet admiration.
Then he turned and began helping bury the other victims of the village.
The green demon had not eaten many people.
Most of the villagers had been brutally tortured and killed.
There were many bodies that needed to be buried.
Not long afterward, a large number of Kakushi members arrived and began handling the aftermath.
Chiba Yang naturally noticed them, but he said nothing.
Once he finished burying his mother, he knelt in front of her grave and bowed three times.
By then, the other villagers had also been laid to rest.
Rengoku walked over to stand beside him.
"Live on with strength, young man. The dead have already passed on. It is the duty of the living to remain strong."
Chiba Yang remained silent for a moment.
Then he suddenly asked,
"Did you come here because of that monster?"
He wanted to know what that creature truly was—and why it had attacked their village.
Rengoku paused briefly.
Originally, he had assumed the boy survived simply because he had never encountered the demon.
But now it seemed that assumption had been wrong.
Perhaps the demon had already eaten its fill and ignored him.
Rengoku did not dwell on the matter.
"Yes," he answered. "The creature that attacked your village was a demon."
"A demon is a being that survives by devouring humans. Once they appear, they inevitably kill people for food."
"And you?" Chiba Yang asked.
"We are members of an organization known as the Demon Slayer Corps."
"It is a civilian force formed with one purpose—to eliminate all demons from this world so that tragedies like this never happen again."
"I came here to kill the demon responsible. Unfortunately… I arrived too late."
Rengoku lowered his head slightly.
"I'm sorry."
None of this information was secret. Since the boy had asked, Rengoku simply explained everything.
Chiba Yang slowly stood up.
His eyes were bloodshot, filled with hatred toward demons.
"Can I join you?"
Rengoku was not surprised by the question.
Many members of the Demon Slayer Corps had joined for the same reason—people whose lives had been destroyed by demons and who sought vengeance while protecting others.
"If you join us," Rengoku said solemnly, "you will constantly face the risk of being killed by demons."
"Demons can only be killed by severing their heads with special blades known as Nichirin Blades. Aside from that, sunlight and wisteria flowers are their only weaknesses."
"They possess powerful regeneration and often wield strange and dangerous Blood Demon Arts."
"Of course, if you join the Demon Slayer Corps, we will teach you Breathing Techniques and swordsmanship so that you can fight them."
"But even then, battling demons remains extremely dangerous."
He looked directly into the boy's eyes.
"Are you certain you wish to join?"
In Rengoku's eyes, Chiba Yang was just an ordinary boy.
He had never witnessed the battle between Chiba Yang and the green demon.
At this moment, he had no idea how extraordinary the boy's talent truly was.
"Yes."
Chiba Yang's answer came without hesitation.
"I will wipe every demon in this world from existence."
His voice carried unwavering determination.
Rengoku broke into a wide smile.
"Very well! Become my Tsuguko!"
"I will train you into an outstanding swordsman!"
"I understand, Master!"
Chiba Yang immediately changed the way he addressed him.
He trusted the man before him.
Through the Transparent World, he could see the righteous aura surrounding Rengoku.
And during the burial, Rengoku had personally helped lay the villagers to rest.
Chiba Yang had seen everything.
Perhaps it was fate.
A century ago, the swordsman born with both the Demon Slayer Mark and the Transparent World had been brought into the Demon Slayer Corps by the Flame Hashira of that era.
And now, a hundred years later, another genius possessing those same gifts had been taken in by the Flame Hashira of the present.
The sun began rising over the mountains in the east.
Its light drove away the darkness and illuminated the land.
Chiba Yang turned back one last time to look at the village.
Then he followed Rengoku.
Inside the headquarters of the Demon Slayer Corps.
Rengoku knelt on one knee as he reported the details of the mission to Kagaya Ubuyashiki.
He also informed him of his decision to take Chiba Yang as his Tsuguko.
"I see…"
"Thank you for your efforts, Rengoku."
Kagaya Ubuyashiki smiled gently.
"You must not blame yourself too much, my child. The movements of demons are unpredictable. You have already completed several missions recently. It is only natural that you could not arrive in time."
From Rengoku's words, Kagaya could sense the guilt he carried.
Taking in the sole survivor as a disciple was likely connected to that feeling.
Rengoku was momentarily stunned.
He had indeed felt deeply responsible for what happened.
Yet he had not spoken those feelings aloud.
Kagaya's words eased the burden in his heart.
"Since you have already decided, then the boy will be entrusted to you."
"However, the Final Selection will begin in only seven days. He likely will not be able to participate in this round."
"That's true," Rengoku replied with a nod.
"But more time for training is not a bad thing. I will guide him well."
"I believe you will," Kagaya said with a smile.
Afterward, Rengoku took his leave.
Outside the estate, Chiba Yang had been waiting.
The moment he saw Rengoku step out, he immediately approached.
"Rengoku-sensei."
Chiba Yang greeted him respectfully.
During their journey earlier, the two had already exchanged names.
Rengoku had also explained much about demons and the Demon Slayer Corps.